Upgrading sat nav to Navigation Plus system

[danyeates]

Hi

I have a B5 S4, 1999 facelift, it currently has the BOSE symphony head unit and the basic sat nav which works using the controls on the centre console by the handbrake and displays on the small screen in between the clocks.

Can I upgrade this to the Navigation Plus system. I have seen a screen on eBay for about £500-600 and debating whether or not it's going to be worth it! Is it possible though? Obviously the GPS receiver and DVD drive in the boot are both present.

Thanks in advance,

Dan

[PetrolDave]

Sounds like you have the BNS. The only part of that you can re-use is the GPS antenna in the sharkfin on the roof.

Do you have a digital clock or an analogue clock? - the B5s with an analogue clock don't have the Infotainment CAN bus so retrofitting the RNS-E isn't possible.

The best fit (but it's not perfect and there will still be slight gaps) is the C5 A6 version of the RNS-E.

You'll have issues with the clock on the RNS-E not synchronising with the clock on the dash, and your RNS-E will regularly keep asking you for the PIN code. These can both be solved using a box called a CANGate, but the guy who used to make them has stopped because demand has dropped off.

[craigyb]

The BNS was can based so the RNS-E should be ok.

[Dippy]

craigyb - I thought you'd gone from here

Dan, my S4, although 2 years younger than yours, was in the same state. As has been noted, you could upgrade to RNS-E with the slight issues that Dave mentions. If you don't like this, then upgrading to RNS-D is another possibility. That's what I did.

RNS-D is inferior to RNS-E but it does work. It is only CD based and has basic functionality. However if all you want to do is upgrade from your audio-only system to an LCD version then it might suit you.

All you need is the right head unit and a TMC. The latter is needed to keep the DIS working. The audio will still work but the controls by the handbrake won't. A CD in the boot would still work. I'm not sure if you really mean that yours is a DVD unit or if that is a typo.